Aurangabad:Public representatives and leaders from various political parties set aside their differences and came together on Monday to press for equitable water distribution for Aurangabad and Marathwada region.Considering the water crisis looming over the region due to deficient monsoon, political leaders have resolved to meet chief minister Devendra Fadnavis on Wednesday to press for immediate water release into Jayakwadi dam from the upstream dams.A section of public representatives also decided to intensify their agitation for fulfilling the irrigation backlog of Marathwada by conducting a sit-in agitation in the well of the House during the winter session of the state legislature next month.The event, which was attended by water management experts among others, saw public representatives sharing water issues from their respective areas and suggesting possible solutions, besides taking pot-shot at their political rivals.BJP MLA Prashant Bamb said political leaders from Marathwada must stay united if the region has to get its share of water. “We will take up our demands with the state government. We hope that necessary budgetary allocation will be made in next year’s budget for some irrigation schemes of Marathwada,” he said.NCP MLC Satish Chavan called on the different stakeholders from the region to be prepared for an agitation if discussions for water rights do not yield any result.Shiv Sena MLAs Sanjay Shirsath said Aurangabad and Marathwada have been battling for their own water rights. “We are not infringing upon the water rights of any other region. As the deficient monsoon has become a regular feature for Marathwada, future generations will not forgive us if we do not protect our water rights,” he said.Another Shiv Sena MLA, Subhash Sabane, who represents Deglur constituency, said the public agitation for equitable water distribution must spread in each and every part of Marathwada.Nanded MLA Hemant Patil, also from the Shiv Sena, said that by not addressing water issues of the region, the government was compelling them to demand separate statehood for Marathwada.AIMIM MLA Imtiaz Jaleel said that the state legislature was the sole platform where policy decisions related to water issues are taken and therefore all public representatives from Marathwada must protest by entering into the well of the House during forthcoming winter session.NCP MLA from Vaijapur, Bhausaheb Patil Chikatgaokar, said it is an irony that the battle of Marathwada is only for its drinking water needs. On the other hand, Ahmednagar district has increased its water reservation from upstream areas of Jayakwadi for irrigation needs. It is high time that a movement gets started for water rights of Marathwada for all needs, he said.Among other leaders, Congress MLA Abdul Sattar, BJP MLA Atul Save and Congress MLC Subhash Zambad, also expressed their views on the theme of the event.

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